Traffic and life on the road in Chennai

This is a discussion on Traffic and life on the road in Chennai within Street Experiences, part of the Buckle Up category; Originally Posted by wildsdi5530
I can understand people returning home on the train or bus, but how about to office. ...

I can understand people returning home on the train or bus, but how about to office. Don't your clothes get sweaty, crumpled and dirty?

I can only speak for myself. For a while I used to live in Malad, working for an IT services company at a client location in Mittal Chambers. I used to commute by local train in a t-shirt and switch to a regular, well-ironed shirt at the client location. :-)

I can only speak for myself. For a while I used to live in Malad, working for an IT services company at a client location in Mittal Chambers. I used to commute by local train in a t-shirt and switch to a regular, well-ironed shirt at the client location. :-)

A lot of my regular joe friends in Bombay do this, esp. in rainy season. Commute in street-wear, change into office-wear at work, then change again for the return commute EOD. I've only ever been to Bombay for short personal trips, but I can't imagine how anyone can keep their formal-wear spotless on a local train.

Did anyone notice a smashed up Swift in front of the Indira Nagar station today Morning? Could have noticed if you had traveled in the Rajiv Gandhi Salai from Madhya Kailash towards Tidel Park. Presume the swift was a total loss.
Could not take photos since was driving alone....

I'm sure IT companies have a lounge for employees where they can shower/ change. I have friends in Bangalore who cycle to work. But how about other professionals. Most hospitals I've worked in have a single duty room with 1 bed and a loo. No provision for shower and change. Plus walking in the corridors to reach the duty room in T-shirts is a no-no. Smaller hospitals have no facilities. Nurses do have a changing room but there would be a riot if I tried to use that. And as far as I know, Law chambers also do not have a lounge.
The IT field is probably the only one where employee comforts are given any importance.

I now have a doubt!! What is the difference between the Metro, MRTS and suburban trains (also known as electric trains long back)? Is it that its just a different corporations / divisions ?

When I was in London, I have only seen the following trains :
1. National Rail - the equivalent of Indian Railways, with private operators
2. The London Underground / Tube - mainly for commuting within the city and suburbs
3. DLR - Connectivity to the docklands, and probably an attempt to have a driver-less train.

And all of the above being overseen by the TFL, which also brings the buses and trams under it. Thus a Travel Card / Oyster card could be used in any of the above means, not sure if this has changed recently. Of course you do have specific tickets that can be used on the specific systems

I now have a doubt!! What is the difference between the Metro, MRTS and suburban trains (also known as electric trains long back)? Is it that its just a different corporations / divisions ?

Both MRTS and Chennai Suburban train system are owned and operated by Indian Railways (Southern Railways). While Suburban connects the city with suburban areas, MRTS is within the city limits between Chennai Beach station and Velachery. MRTS is the first elevated line in India but has poor patronage. MRTS may ultimately be transferred to Chennai Metro when Metro is completed.

Metro envisages two corridors of line connecting North Chennai with Airport and Chennai Central Railway Station with St. Thomas Mount via Koyambedu. Close to 45 km of railway line for both lines with more than 50% running underground. Metro is done with a view to connect all transport hubs like CMBT, airport, MRTS, and Suburban trains. Metro is actually 50:50 JV between the State and the Central Governments.

^^^MRTS is yes more or less same as an Electric train. Just that the former runs on elevated tracks here.

But to say that the Metro is just a hyped-up electric train is to put it very simplistically. It is as similar to electric trains as cheese is to chalk. It is a totally different experience in itself.
I first experienced this at Calcutta 2+ decades ago and it was amazing how contrasting the metro-stations were compared to the general city in terms of cleanliness and order.
Have not been in the Delhi metro, but am sure it would also be at the same level. Japan, ofcourse has the mother of metros, with various lines, another eco-system underground etc etc.

MRTS is the same a Electric train. Metro = hyped up Electric train! That's all!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raghav_K

Anyone here using the Chennai Bypass Road??

The road is in bad shape, no potholes as such, but it's pretty uneven and gives a bumpy ride.

Plus they increased the tolls by 5 INR from this month.

I think it has not been re-laid for quite sometime. Any idea about what can be done, Guys?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gokrish

Both MRTS and Chennai Suburban train system are owned and operated by Indian Railways (Southern Railways). While Suburban connects the city with suburban areas, MRTS is within the city limits between Chennai Beach station and Velachery. MRTS is the first elevated line in India but has poor patronage.

Its decent enough actually as per my wife who uses it daily. Its not obscenely overloaded like Mumbai - which is pointless. By that logic sir, countries like Malaysia or Spain etc will never have enough patronage of their metro systems!

Quote:

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

I now have a doubt!! What is the difference between the Metro, MRTS and suburban trains (also known as electric trains long back)? Is it that its just a different corporations / divisions ?

When I was in London, I have only seen the following trains :
1. National Rail - the equivalent of Indian Railways, with private operators
2. The London Underground / Tube - mainly for commuting within the city and suburbs
3. DLR - Connectivity to the docklands, and probably an attempt to have a driver-less train.

And all of the above being overseen by the TFL, which also brings the buses and trams under it. Thus a Travel Card / Oyster card could be used in any of the above means, not sure if this has changed recently. Of course you do have specific tickets that can be used on the specific systems

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Sparrow

Did anyone notice a smashed up Swift in front of the Indira Nagar station today Morning? Could have noticed if you had traveled in the Rajiv Gandhi Salai from Madhya Kailash towards Tidel Park. Presume the swift was a total loss.
Could not take photos since was driving alone....

Yep - I saw that. It was basically going the wrong way and hit a loading auto pretty badly head on. I would reckon a total loss.

Why do you want to stitch it up? Will not look good. I suggest you go for a full dent removal and re-painting. Will cost roughly 3K per panel.

This is perfectly fine. Its a six year old car that hasn't been disposed of yet - while we figure out our long term plans. The cut has been there for many years now. This is the very bottom / center of the front bumper which is barely visible, only if you look for it. There's nothing to dent - either the bumper is stitched (as it has been for ~2+ years) or its patched up with epoxy or what have you.

Speaking of which, what would you recommend for spots that are losing their paint - the footboard on the driver side / the door handlebar of the driver etc. I don't want to embark on a full painting exercise - I'd rather spend that money somewhere else for now (like the home).

This is perfectly fine. Its a six year old car that hasn't been disposed of yet - while we figure out our long term plans. The cut has been there for many years now. This is the very bottom / center of the front bumper which is barely visible, only if you look for it. There's nothing to dent - either the bumper is stitched (as it has been for ~2+ years) or its patched up with epoxy or what have you.

Speaking of which, what would you recommend for spots that are losing their paint - the footboard on the driver side / the door handlebar of the driver etc. I don't want to embark on a full painting exercise - I'd rather spend that money somewhere else for now (like the home).

Okay. I have not really come across any place in Chennai which can do a stitch work. Even if they do not sure how effective it would be. I would suggest that if it's causing a problem then leave it as is. I know couple of good shops for tinkering/painting but don't know a shop for stitching. Even on the paint I would suggest that it's left as is. Patch work will not look good IMHO.